Primary Healthcare Centers

Article 43 of Decree No. 635-03 which enshrined the Jurisdictional Regulations and Separation of Functions of the National Health Service (SNS) established that healthcare services for the care of persons are organized in two related levels, which guarantee equal access to the system:

• A Level of Primary and Ambulance Healthcare, centered on the promotion of health, prevention of sicknesses, epidemiological surveillance and monitoring of special patients which covers emergencies and household care.
• A Level of Specialized Care for general hospitalization, equipped with human resources and technologies to attend the demands of patients who need to be hospitalized and receive surgery for complications or emergencies.

Primary Healthcare Unit:

Article 19 of the Regulations of Provision of Services defines the Primary Healthcare Unit (UNAPS) as the main body for the provision of services at the First Level of Healthcare,  considered the entry door to the National Health Service (SNS) and to social security.

The article establishes that all Dominicans must be registered in the UNAP closest to their home, which must be authorized for the providing of services by the Ministry of Public Health, independent from an insurer, with the purpose of receiving services guaranteed by both levels of healthcare.

References:

• http://www.sespas.gov.do/cs01
• http://www.paho.org/dor/
• http://www.observatoriorh.org/
• http://www.conep.org.do/attachment/000000025.pdf

Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (2008). Organization of Units of Primary Healthcare Manual. Retrieved from http://www.conep.org.do/attachment/000000025.pdf